Re: Should Ashley Taylor Be Promoted
How do you know that isn't the case?
I don't care about what people say after seeing a few highlights from this or that player (Cornish is exactly one of those), and you won't catch me calling for a player I haven't actually seen playing often enough to have formed an opinion.
How many players have you seen me call for throughout the years here?
I was one of Wallace's staunchest defenders, not because I though he's a great halfback, but because we didn't have anyone breaking the door down to first grade to replace him, including Ben Hunt!
Actually, when I think about it, Boyd is to fullbacks what Wallace is to halfbacks. He is a rep winger, solid and reliable, but not even in the top 8 fullbacks in the NRL.
Of the players you mention, Hampton was never talked up beyond reasonable form in ISC, same thing goes for Capewell or Williams. Munster is showing his wares at the Storm, and although he will eventually take it, he has a mountain to climb to take Slater's spot right now, Brooks still needs to iron out some deficiencies, but is playing FG, and as said before, Cornish is a highlights reel player, but has never demonstrated any ability to control or organise a team.
I don't "know" that isn't the case, but clearly the coaching staff think that isn't the case right now, hence he's not first choice half, but was also signed on big money for a junior, so they clearly rate him but don't think he's ready, that's totally fair in my view!
I'll ignore your Boyd to Wallace comparison. You're clearly blinded by your dislike of him for me to take your opinion seriously. Comparing Boyd to Wallace is ridiculous, so I won't even bother with that argument.
As for these juniors not being talked up, who are you kidding? I've been following league circles for a while now obviously, and there's always a few juniors from every club that are talked up to be amazing talents, the players I mentioned are definitely part of them.
Hampton:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/melbourne-storm-to-put-faith-in-rising-star-ben-hampton-to-replace-gareth-widdop-at-five-eighth/story-fni3gpfg-1226686534257 - This was TWO YEARS ago, he's still not a regular fixture, they event went out of their way to get Blake Green for this year and next - so the rising star who was talked up as 5/8 in 2014, probably won't get a shot as a regular 5/8 till 2017, if ever.
Another one - a year later http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/young-star-sets-sights-on-coveted-storm-role/2138402/
Hampton is rated so highly that he was made Queensland captain in the inaugural U20 Origin clash in 2012 - less than 12 months after breaking his leg. "That Origin game was a really good experience. Leading guys like Dylan Napa and Lachlan Maranta onto the field, who are pretty established first-graders now, gave me a lot of confidence," Hampton said.
So highly rated they signed a 28 year old half back from the super league on a two year contract.
Munster:
In one run, Munster produced a series of right-hand fends that would have impressed Greg Inglis. Munster also bamboozled the Magpies fullback with a left-foot step that would make Anthony Milford jealous. Weight of performance suggests the Storm simply have to blood the Rockhampton prodigy.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/intrust-super-cup-cameron-munster-stars-as-easts-tigers-beat-souths-logan-magpies-52-0/story-fni3gpfg-1227292743004 Greg Inglis would be impressed? Bamboozled with a left foot step that would make Milford jealous? Storm prodigy? Is that what you consider not talking up beyond reasonable ISC form?
Craig Bellamy believes the Auckland Nines could witness a potential superstar in Cameron Munster after the Storm on Thursday handed the Queensland sensation a $100,000-plus upgrade. The 19-year-old will be the Storm’s secret weapon at the inaugural Nines event starting Saturday,
"Superstar" "Secret weapon" - all seem like big hyped up words to me.
The list goes on and on. So don't blame me for being a bit cynical when people are advocating Taylor is a better long term prospect than Milford is it at 5/8, or that Boyd should be moved from a crucial position in the team (fullback), to accommodate a rookie 5/8. If that's true, and he's really that good, he'll undoubtedly get a chance to prove it before his contract is up with us, and if the coaching staff also believe it, they'll offer him another contract to stick around and start playing him from the bench even if their isn't a regular starting spot, just like Hunt had to do for a fair while before he got the regular 7 jersey.